Contributor Gyles Denn: MMS’s Extreme Medics service was put to good use by a film/TV company back in February and, when I say good use, I really mean very unusual.
For obvious reasons I won’t mention who the company was nor what was being filmed. You’ll just have to keep watching the silver screen, I guess; however here goes the story.
Extreme Medic Gyles makes a superb underwater car exit as a rehearsal for the stuntman
Josh Masheder and I were asked to provide emergency medical cover for a preshoot day, a rehearsal that involved an upturned car in a river. I went as part of our Extreme Medics service, dry suited-up and ready for a day splashing in the water whilst Josh was my trusty banksman and ‘dry’ medic.
The day was fascinating with trial shots determining the exact position of the car, the best way to take the shots…the usual preshoot filming and testing. MMS’s Extreme Medics service means that I was properly equipped with diving gear which proved to be a great asset to the film production team. I could assist with various tasks in the wet environment and in low temperatures — opening/closing doors on the car, rocking the car to check for movement — all whilst keeping the team totally safe and stood by if any minor mishap occurred.
Gyles does a recce on the submerged car on the TV preshoot day
The eventual scene was to take place at night so we waited until the sky grew dark and the nocturnal fun could begin. This was the time for the Extreme Medics service to really shine: to understand how the shots would work, there needed to be someone actually exiting the car — cue Gyles, fully-equipped and experienced — as I stepped into the breach and made my debut as a stuntman/medic, kicking my way out of a partially-submerged car and staggering past the camera.
The result: thanks to our efforts, the film crew were able to get what they actually needed and are fully-prepared for when the real shooting takes place. I got to have my debut as a stuntman and unashamedly had an absolutely great time. Call me weird but I actually enjoy partially-submerged, confined, dark, cold, wet spaces: well who wouldn’t? [He's weird: Ed.]